The Tale of Cultivation and Demon Extermination - Chapter 157

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Episode 23: Core Formation Realm Great Cultivator (4)

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Without even having time to share the joy of his breakthrough into the Core Formation Realm, Ise was dragged to the Chief Master’s office before he could properly steady himself.

It was to prepare for his inauguration as Hall Master.

Haeil crossed their legs atop the desk in the Order Lord’s office and asked,

“We need to decide on a hall name. Will you use an existing one, or make a new one?”

“I’ll use an existing one.”

Ise answered at once.

He had absolutely no talent for naming things.

“Right. Let’s see. It would be a little awkward to pass down one used by traitors, so take either Azure Dragon Hall or Dokkaebi Hall.”

Azure Dragon Hall, once used by Order Lord Haeil.

Dokkaebi Hall, the name used by Senior Gong Wol-a and the dokkaebi clan.

If he followed his heart, he wanted to inherit the dokkaebi clan’s hall name.

But Ise was waiting for the day when the Great Exorcist Order and the dokkaebi clan would join hands again.

For that day, it would be better to leave the name Dokkaebi Hall intact.

“I’ll choose Azure Dragon Hall.”

“My, my. It’s a serious problem, having so many people who admire me. Isn’t that right, Itae?”

Haeil gave Ise a pleased look, then asked Kang I-tae.

“Yes.”

Kang I-tae answered without a trace of soul, then handed Ise a reference sheet.

“There is not much you need to prepare. Refer to this if you have questions. Now wait a moment, Hall Master Ise of Azure Dragon Hall.”

Ise felt strangely embarrassed by the unfamiliar title.

The Hall Master inauguration was held immediately afterward.

It was far more modest than he had expected.

The Order Lord, Chief Master, and every Hall Master were summoned. In the Order Lord’s office, Ise received a golden plaque from Haeil as proof of his appointment as Hall Master.

Then message talismans flew out to everyone belonging to the Great Exorcist Order, announcing the inauguration of a new Hall Master.

That was all.

The process was simple, but the weight contained in that plaque did not feel light.

The Hall Masters congratulated him one by one, offering handshakes.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

Banho, Hall Master of Hooked Array Hall, appeared in a half-human, half-tiger form. Banho warmly seized both of Ise’s hands and shook them.

The rough yet soft pads of a tiger’s forepaws felt rather unfamiliar.

Next came Haewol, Hall Master of Vine Serpent Hall, the only Hall Master Ise had never met before. She smiled sweetly as she greeted him.

“It’s nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you.”

He had imagined she would look exactly like Haeil, but she did not.

Seeing her in person, Ise found that aside from their hair color, she was a warm-looking female cultivator with an entirely different air.

“These are the divine beasts that symbolize the Great Exorcist Order.”

Haeil pointed to Haechi and Crane Bird, the two divine beasts watching from one side.

Ise had seen them once during the Great Exorcist Order’s entrance examination.

This was the first time he had seen them since.

- Good to see you.

- Now that I see how you’ve grown, you truly resemble him. I understand Haeil’s misunderstanding.

At the divine beast’s words, Haeil pressed them.

“Are you sure he isn’t that bastard’s secret child?”

- As far as I know, he is definitely a virgin.

“What nonsense.”

Haeil let out a booming laugh, adding that divine beasts were spirit beasts that had reached the Spirit Transformation Realm.

That explanation suddenly stirred a question in Ise’s mind.

The Spirit Transformation Realm was the highest realm one could attain in the Lower Realm.

With such beings guarding the Order, why did they not take the forefront?

“I can tell what you’re thinking just by looking at your face. But these are not their true bodies. They are spirit avatars. Their true bodies ascended to the Upper Realm with the previous Great Exorcist Order Lord, and they left behind spirit avatars for the Great Exorcist Order’s future.”

“A spirit avatar is...?”

“A separate existence formed by splitting off a fragment of their souls. You can consider it separate from the true body.”

So that was why it had been difficult to gauge their realms.

Ise nodded as though he had learned something new from this strange phenomenon.

“Because of the limits of being spirit avatars, they cannot serve as fighting strength. They only use their divine power to create spiritual roots and nurture the Great Exorcist Order’s young.”

“I see.”

“Even so, their true bodies are beings of an entirely different stature, so show them proper respect.”

- You should show proper respect yourself, Haeil.

When Haechi interjected with a grumble, Haeil stroked its mane.

“What’s this? Are you asking me to pet you?”

Prrr.

Haechi soon made a pleased, contented sound.

After finishing his greetings with the Hall Masters, Ise received an explanation from Kang I-tae about the rights and duties of a great cultivator.

First, he would be granted a separate plot of spirit soil at Water Source Pool, where the heaven-and-earth spiritual energy was densest in the main headquarters.

He could read every text in the Library Pavilion free of charge. However, he would have to pay if he wished to make copies.

He would receive Spiritual Stones as a salary according to the number of Mountain-Guarding Disciples belonging to his hall.

It depended on the output of the Spiritual Stone mines, but when output was high, a hall could receive as many as ten thousand Spiritual Stones per disciple each year.

There were other rights as well. At facilities above a certain scale, he could use guest quarters prepared for Hall Masters. In emergencies, he could use flight arts or flying spirit artifacts within the main headquarters.

Compared to that, his duties were simple and clear.

Train Mountain-Guarding Disciples and produce great cultivators.

Serve as a battlefield commander in wartime.

Actively hunt demons in the Core Formation Realm when they appeared.

Formal missions were occasionally assigned as well, though such matters were generally handled by Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.

“Must I absolutely take disciples?”

At Ise’s question, Haeil shrugged.

“We can’t force you. But if your hall produces a great cultivator, you can choose one spiritual herb you want from Spirit Beast Grove and take it.”

At that explanation, Ise looked toward Woo Yu-hui.

She gave him a thumbs-up, then took a box of spiritual herbs from her storage pouch and waved it lightly.

Her expression was hidden behind her half-mask, but somehow, she seemed excited.

“I also hate taking care of others, so I never had disciples. Still, there were halls that received a million Spiritual Stones a year when mine output was good.”

“Order Lord, please refrain from speaking of Seolbaek. Traitors are not worth mentioning.”

When Kang I-tae interjected, Haeil frowned.

“I get it, I get it. Stop nagging me.”

“Hall Master Ise, many of the major mines have been taken from us at present, so the salary will not be generous. Keep that in mind.”

“Yes.”

Ise nodded at Kang I-tae’s words.

A salary would be nice, but honestly gathering Spiritual Stones was far less rewarding than emptying his enemies’ pockets.

He had many debts to collect, so he did not mind.

“If needed, I can post a recruitment notice at the main headquarters. Changing one’s hall affiliation is not particularly difficult.”

“I will not turn away anyone who wishes to join, but I have no intention of actively gathering people.”

“Fine. What do you want to do first?”

Ise answered Haeil’s question without hesitation.

“First, I intend to seek a way to restore my master’s soul. If that cannot be done right away, my first goal will be revenge on Han Juok.”

“Han Juok? Why that old fool?”

Woo Yu-hui, who had been quietly listening, joined in.

“That old monster extorted ten thousand Spiritual Stones from him.”

“More precisely, 9,820.”

Han Juok had nearly seen the destruction of their clan after incurring Haeil and Hong Mi-hee’s wrath. Han Juok had barely preserved their life by offering half their wealth as a settlement.

Afterward, nursing a grudge, Han Juok had continued to take petty revenge on disciples at the border between the Great Exorcist Order and the Zheng Empire.

“That old bastard is still doing that?”

“I heard he has settled down in Tabaro recently.”

At Woo Yu-hui’s words, Haeil’s eyes widened.

“We really need to have a proper brawl. When did you get extorted, Hall Master Ise?”

“About thirty years ago, I believe.”

“That was ages ago. Why are you still holding a grudge? Just think of it as giving an old man travel money for the road to the afterlife.”

“The anger remains as vivid as if it happened yesterday. And he is not someone I have any reason to give travel money to. Unless I’m guiding him down the road to the underworld.”

When even Ise, who rarely showed emotion, spoke that much, Haeil scratched their cheek and asked,

“Of all your enemies, do you want to deal with him first badly enough to make him your priority?”

“I heard he does not have much lifespan left, so I wish to hurry. I cannot allow him to live out his natural lifespan.”

“Well, that old bastard has lived a long time. It’s amazing he is still alive. How many Longevity Pellets has he swallowed?”

Haeil waved their hand, telling Ise to do as he pleased.

“May I kill him?”

“If I told you not to, would you refrain?”

“If you tell me not to, I will deal with him without anyone finding out.”

At his bold answer that he would secretly do it, Haeil and the Hall Masters let out hollow laughs.

What a thoroughly vicious fellow, they thought.

“Have your condition assessed before you proceed. If I believe you are sufficiently prepared, I will allow it. I will have a portrait sketch of Seolbaek drawn for you. If you are caught, disguise yourself as that bastard.”

“Will that work?”

“What does it matter? As long as both sides can get angry, that is enough.”

“Yes. A wise insight.”

Kang I-tae shook their head at the conversation between Ise and Haeil.

Off to one side, Hong Mi-hee and Ahsan spoke quietly.

“Now that we have a blade to wield without worrying about heavenly tribulation, it looks like a bloody storm will sweep across the Eastern Continent.”

“That blade itself is an utter rogue. The Order Lord should be restraining him, if anything. Looking at it now, Woo Yu-hui is practically a model citizen.”

Whether they spoke of her or not, Woo Yu-hui merely held the box of spiritual herbs tightly in both hands without a word.

* * *

After the inauguration ceremony and its celebration ended, Ujeol took charge of guiding Ise.

He added that he had volunteered because he wanted to offer his congratulations, then led Ise to Water Source Pool.

“This is the western side of Water Source Pool. You may choose whichever location you wish among those far from the other Hall Masters’ residences.”

“Cultivator Woo, you may speak more casually with me.”

“I cannot do that. A formal disciple may speak casually to a Mountain-Guarding Disciple, but only another great cultivator may dare speak casually to a great cultivator.”

“Even if I permit it?”

“Nothing changes even if you permit it, Hall Master. I gratefully accept the sentiment.”

No matter what, Ise felt uncomfortable receiving such formal speech from someone who had been such a senior to him.

Especially someone who had treated him well.

Reading Ise’s concern, Ujeol gave an example.

“Hall Master Woo Yu-hui and Cultivator Irang entered the Order in the same year. You have seen their current relationship, have you not?”

“...Yes.”

“I understand you have fellow disciples you particularly cherish. It would be difficult to stop you if you permit casual speech in private, but at least when three or more people are gathered, receive formal speech from them. Of course, they likely understand this already.”

“Understood.”

“You should speak more casually with me as well.”

Rather than answer, Ise floated into the air and looked over Water Source Pool at a glance.

It was so vast that he had no idea which place to choose.

“Couldn’t I just use the place Seolbaek or So Hong-ji used?”

“No. You cannot. We cannot give you a place used by traitors. Besides, their residences have already been demolished.”

Ujeol spoke so firmly that Ise gave up. He searched for a suitable spot and made his choice.

He soon found a place he liked.

A spacious clearing, with a small hill behind it and a waterfall pouring down before it.

The scenery was beautiful, and he liked the overall layout immensely.

After leaving a mark at its center, Ujeol asked Ise,

“Are there any facilities, interior layouts, decorations, or architectural styles you would prefer?”

“No, nothing in particular... Ah. I would like a slaughterhouse and a space for preparing immortal cuisine. And I would like the cultivation room to be located at the very back.”

“I will record that. Do you have a preferred color?”

“Not particularly.”

“Then, since you are the Hall Master of Azure Dragon Hall, I will primarily use jade green.”

Even for a great cultivator’s residence, rebuilding everything from scratch felt like a tremendous waste of manpower.

Yet Ujeol somehow seemed excited, so Ise could not bring himself to stop him.

“I will guide you to the temporary residence you will use for now.”

Ujeol led him to a temporary residence used by newly appointed Hall Masters before their own residences were completed.

It was such a grand and immaculate building that Ise gaped.

“I could just live here.”

“Is it your grand ambition to make every new Hall Master who comes after you sleep on the ground?”

“That is a funny joke...”

“By the way, when do you intend to start speaking more casually with me?”